Part 5 (1/2)

138. I was afterwards led by the Lord to an earth in the universe which was at a much greater distance from our Earth than the first one that has just been treated of. That it was at a much greater distance, was plain from this circ.u.mstance, that I was two days in being led thither as to my spirit. This earth was to the left, whereas the former was to the right. As remoteness in the spiritual world does not, as already observed, arise from distance of place, but from difference of state, the long-continuance of my progression thither, which lasted two days, enabled me to conclude that the state of the interiors which prevailed with them, which is the state of the affections and of the consequent thoughts, differed proportionately from the state of the interiors which prevails with the spirits from our Earth. As I was conveyed thither as to the spirit by means of changes of the state of the interiors, I was enabled to observe the successive changes themselves before I arrived there. This took place while I was awake.

139. When I arrived there, I did not see the earth, but only the spirits who were from that earth; for, as has already been stated, the spirits of every earth appear about their own earth, because they are of a similar genius with the inhabitants, for they are of them, and are serviceable to them. Those spirits appeared at a considerable height over my head, and from thence they saw me coming. It must be borne in mind that they who stand on high in the other life can behold those who are below them, and the higher they stand the wider is the extent of their vision; and that not only can they behold them, but also speak with them. They observed from there that I was not from their earth, but from some other at a distance; wherefore, addressing me from thence, they questioned me on various subjects, and to these questions it was also permitted me to reply. Among other things, I told them from what earth I came, and what kind of earth it was; and afterwards I told them about the earths in our solar system; and then also about the spirits of the earth or planet Mercury, that they wander about to many earths for the purpose of procuring for themselves knowledges about various things. On hearing this, they said that they had also seen those spirits among themselves.

140. I was told by the angels from our Earth that the inhabitants and spirits of that earth, in the Grand Man, have relation to KEENNESS OF VISION, and that therefore they appear on high; and that they have a most penetrating keenness of sight. In consequence of their having this relation, and of their seeing clearly the things that were below, in the course of our conversation I compared them to eagles, which fly aloft, and enjoy a piercing and extensive view of surrounding things.

At this they became indignant, supposing that I considered them like eagles as to their rapacity, and consequently that I thought them evil; but I replied, that I did not liken them to eagles as to rapacity, but as to keenness of vision.

141. Being questioned concerning the G.o.d whom they wors.h.i.+pped, they replied that they wors.h.i.+pped a G.o.d visible and invisible; a G.o.d visible under the Human Form, and an invisible G.o.d, under no form at all; and I learned from their discourse, and likewise from the ideas of their thoughts which were communicated to me, that the visible G.o.d was our Lord Himself, and they also called Him Lord. To this it was given me to reply, that on our Earth also, an invisible and a visible G.o.d is wors.h.i.+pped; and that the invisible G.o.d is called the Father, and the visible, the Lord; but that both are One, as He Himself taught, saying, that no one had ever seen the form of the Father, that the Father and He are One, that whoso seeth Him seeth the Father, and that the Father is in Him and He in the Father; consequently, that both Divine [Essences] are in One Person. That these are the words of the Lord Himself, see John v. 37; x. 30; xiv. 7, 9-11.

142. Afterwards I saw other spirits from the same earth, who appeared in a place beneath the former: with these also I conversed; but they were idolaters, for they wors.h.i.+pped an idol of stone, like a man, but an unhandsome one. It is to be observed, that all who come into the other life, in the beginning have a wors.h.i.+p which is like their wors.h.i.+p in the world, but that by degrees they are removed from it.

The reason why this takes place is, that all wors.h.i.+p remains implanted in man's interior life, from which it cannot be removed and eradicated except by degrees. On seeing this, it was given me to tell them that they ought not to wors.h.i.+p what is dead, but what is living; to which they replied, that they knew that G.o.d lives, and that a stone does not, but that they thought of the living G.o.d while looking on a stone resembling a man, and that otherwise the ideas of their thought could not be fixed upon and determined to the invisible G.o.d. It was then given me to tell them that the ideas of thought can be fixed upon and determined to the invisible G.o.d, when they are fixed upon and determined to the Lord, who is G.o.d visible in thought under the Human Form; and thus that man can be conjoined with the invisible G.o.d in thought and affection, consequently in faith and love, when he is conjoined with the Lord, but not otherwise.

143. The spirits who were seen on high were questioned whether on their earth they live under the rule of princes or kings. To this they replied, that they do not know what governments are, and that they live under themselves, distinguished into clans, families, and households. They were questioned whether they were thus in security.

They said they were secure, since one family never envies another, nor desires to deprive another of anything. They were indignant at being asked such questions, as if they had been charged with being at enmity, or with needing protection against robbers. What, said they, does anyone need but food and raiment, and thus to live content and quiet under one's own management?

144. Being further questioned concerning their earth, they said that they have meadows, flower-gardens, orchards full of fruit-trees, and also lakes containing fish; and that they have birds of a blue colour, with golden feathers; and large and small animals. Amongst the smaller, they mentioned one sort which had the back raised like the camels on our Earth; nevertheless, they do not feed on their flesh, but only on the flesh of fishes, and besides on the fruits of trees, and on the leguminous plants of the earth. They said, moreover, that they do not live in artificial houses, but in groves, amongst the leafy boughs of which they make roofs to shelter them from rain and the heat of the sun.

145. Being questioned respecting their sun, which appears as a star from our Earth, they said that it has a fiery appearance, and that it is not larger to the sight than a man's head. I was told by the angels that the star which is their sun is one of the smaller stars, not far distant from the equator.

146. There were seen some spirits who were like what they had been during their abode as men on their earth. They had faces not unlike the faces of the men of our Earth, except that their eyes and nose were small. As this appeared to me something of a deformity, they said that with them small eyes and a small nose are considered a beauty.

A female was seen, clothed in a gown ornamented with roses of various colours. I asked whence they procured for themselves materials for clothing on that earth. They answered that they gather from certain plants substances which they spin into thread; and that they then at once lay the threads in double and triple rows, moistening them with a glutinous water to give them consistence. Afterwards they colour the cloth, thus prepared, with the juices of herbaceous plants. It was also shown me how they prepare the thread. The women sit down on a seat, with their backs bent, and twist the threads with their toes; and when twisted they draw the threads towards them, and work them with their hands.

147. They said also, that on that earth a husband has only one wife, and no more; and that they beget from ten to fifteen children. They added, that there are likewise found harlots on that earth; but that these, after the life of the body, when they become spirits, are sorceresses, and are cast into h.e.l.l.

THE THIRD EARTH IN THE STARRY HEAVEN, AND ITS SPIRITS AND INHABITANTS.

148. There appeared some spirits at a distance, who were unwilling to approach. The reason was, that they could not be together with the spirits of our Earth who were then about me. From this I apperceived that they were from another earth; and I was told afterwards that they were from a certain earth in the universe; but where that earth is, was not made known to me. These spirits, unlike the spirits from our Earth, were absolutely unwilling to think about their body, or even about anything corporeal and material; hence it was that they were unwilling to approach; yet, after the removal of some of the spirits of our Earth, they drew nearer, and spoke with me. But then there was a sense of anxiety arising from the collision of the spheres; for spiritual spheres surround all spirits and societies of spirits[cc]; and since they emanate from the life of the affections and the consequent thoughts, therefore where the affections are contrary collision takes place, and hence arises anxiety. The spirits of our Earth related, that they dare not even approach them; since, on their approach, they are not only seized with anxiety, but also appear to themselves as if they were bound hand and foot with serpents, from which they cannot be freed till they have departed. This appearance takes its origin from correspondence; for the spirits of our Earth, in the Grand Man, have relation to external sense, consequently to the corporeal Sensual, and this Sensual is represented in the other life by serpents[xx].

[Footnote xx: The external Sensual of man in the spiritual world is represented by serpents, because it is in the lowest [parts], and relatively to the more interior things in man, lies on the ground, and as it were creeps; and on this ground they were called serpents who reasoned from that Sensual, nos. 195-197, 6398, 6949.]

149. As the spirits of that earth are such, they appear in the eyes of other spirits, not in a distinct human form, as others do, but as clouds, in most cases like a dusky cloud, with the fair human colour interspersed; but they said, that within they are fair, and that when they become angels, this duskiness is changed into a beautiful blue; which was also shown me. I asked whether, during their life as men in the world, they had entertained such an idea respecting their bodies.

They replied that the men of their earth make no account of their bodies, but only of the spirit in the body, because they know that the spirit will live for ever, but that the body must perish. They said also, that many on their earth believe that the spirit of the body has existed from eternity, and that it was infused into the body when they were conceived; but they added, that now they know that it is not so, and that they repent of having ever been in so false an opinion.

150. When I asked them whether they would like to see any objects on our Earth, informing them that it was possible to do so through my eyes (see above, no. 135), they answered first, that they could not, and afterwards, that they would not, because the things that they would see would be only earthly and material things, from which they remove their thoughts as much as possible. But nevertheless, there were represented before them magnificent palaces, resembling those on our Earth possessed by kings and princes; for such things can be represented before spirits, and, when they are represented, they appear exactly as if they existed. But the spirits from that earth esteemed them as nothing, calling them marble images; and then they related that they have more magnificent things belonging to them, which are their sacred temples, built not of stone but of wood. When it was objected that these were still earthly objects, they replied that they were not earthly, but heavenly, because when they gaze upon them they have not an earthly but a heavenly idea; believing that after death they should also see like objects in heaven.

151. They then represented their sacred temples before the spirits of our Earth, who declared that they had not seen anything more magnificent; and as they were also seen by me, I can therefore describe them. They are constructed of trees not cut down, but growing in the place where they first took root. They said that on that earth there are trees of a wonderful size and height; these they set in rows from the first, so that they may form porticos and colonnades; and by cutting and pruning, they fit and prepare the tender shoots, so that as they grow they may interlace and join together so as to form the groundwork and floor of the temple to be constructed, and to rise at the sides to form the walls, and above to bend into arches to form the roof. In this manner they construct the temple with admirable art, raised high above the ground. They also prepare an ascent into it by successive branches of the trees, extended from the trunk and firmly connected together. Moreover, they adorn the temple without and within in various ways, by disposing the foliage into forms: thus they build entire groves. But it was not permitted me to see the character of these temples within: I was only told that the light of their sun is let in by apertures amongst the branches, and is transmitted here and there through crystals, by which means the light falling upon the walls is varied in colours like those of the rainbow, especially blue and orange, of which they are fondest. Such are their architectural works, which they prefer to the most magnificent palaces of our Earth.

152. They said further, that the inhabitants do not dwell in high places, but on the earth in lowly cottages, for the reason that high places are for the Lord who is in heaven, and lowly places for men who are on earth. Their cottages were also shown me. They were oblong, having within along the walls a continuous couch, on which they lie one behind another. On the side opposite to the door is a rounded alcove, before which is a table, and behind the table a fire-place, by which the whole chamber is lighted. In this fire-place, there is not a burning fire, but a luminous wood, which gives out as much light as the flame of a common fire does. They said that in the evening these logs of wood appeared as if they had in them the fire of live coals.

153. They said that they do not live as societies, but as households by themselves; and that they are societies when they meet for wors.h.i.+p; that on these occasions those who teach walk within the temple, and the rest in the porches at the sides; and that at their meetings they experience interior joys, arising from the sight of the temple, and from the wors.h.i.+p celebrated therein.

154. In respect to Divine wors.h.i.+p, they said that they acknowledge a G.o.d under the Human Form, consequently our Lord; for all who acknowledge the G.o.d of the universe under the Human Form are accepted and led by our Lord: the rest cannot be led, because they think apart from a form. They added, that the inhabitants of their earth are instructed about the things of heaven by a certain immediate intercourse with angels and spirits, into which they may be brought by the Lord more easily than others, because they reject corporeal things from their thought and affection. I asked what becomes of those amongst them who are evil. They told me that on their earth no wicked person is allowed to exist; but if any one thinks and does evil, he is reprimanded by a certain spirit, who threatens him with death if he persists in doing so; and if he persists, he dies by a swoon; and that by this means the men of that earth are preserved from the contagion of evils. A certain spirit of this character was also sent to me: he spoke with me as if with those [evil ones]: he moreover inflicted something of pain in the region of my abdomen, saying that this is what he does to those who think and do evil, and that he threatens them with death if they persist. I was also told that they who profane holy things are grievously punished; and that before the punis.h.i.+ng spirit comes, there appears to them in vision the gaping mouth of a lion, of a livid colour, which seems as if it would swallow their head, and tear it asunder from the body, whence they are seized with horror. They call the punis.h.i.+ng spirit the devil.

155. As they were desirous to know how the case is on our Earth in regard to revelation, I told them that it is effected by means of writing and preaching from the Word, and not by immediate intercourse with spirits and angels; and that what is written can be published by printing, and thus be read and comprehended by whole societies, and that thus the life can be amended. They were exceedingly surprised that such an art, utterly unknown elsewhere, could exist on our Earth; but they comprehended that on this Earth, where corporeal and terrestrial things are so much loved, Divine things could not otherwise inflow from heaven and be received; and that it would be dangerous for such beings to converse with angels.

156. The spirits of that earth appear above, in the plane of the head, towards the right. All spirits are distinguished by their situation relatively to the human body; and this is a consequence of the universal heaven corresponding with all things of man[f]. These spirits keep themselves in that plane, and at that distance, because their correspondence is not with the externals, but with the interiors, belonging to man. Their action is upon the left knee, above and a little below, with a certain vibration very sensibly felt. This is a sign that they correspond with _the conjunction of natural things and heavenly things_.